Following a heated election, many of the loudest voices have pressured brands to make their stances about hot button issues clear. But the results of a new Gallup Poll reveal that majority of Americans don’t want to know the political preferences of the companies they interact with. Only 38% of US adults stated that they wanted businesses to take a stance on current events like climate change, mental health, DEI, immigration, gun reform and international conflicts. This percentage is on the decline from 2022, when the percentage of Americans who believed businesses should enter the political conversation sphere was almost half (48%).
Democrats were more likely than Republicans to want businesses to speak out on political topics, but more than 60% of both political parties reported that they would be less likely to buy from a brand that specifically endorsed a candidate from their opposing party. For independents, the aversion is even stronger, with participants saying they would be three times more likely to avoid products from companies that make political endorsements. In other words, when companies announce the politicians and policies they want to win, they are the ones who ultimately lose.
